The early Manchu
rulers intended to protect the empire by a number
of buffer zones. The most important ruler, Emperor K'ang Hsi,
established protectorates over Mongolia (1696) and Tibet (1724).

Internally an extended period of peace led the population to grow from
100 million in 1680 to 180 million in 1780, but the domination of
the giant empire by the small Manchu people could only be secured
by police-state methods and by the introduction of dual - occupancy
(Manchu / Chinese) of all governmental offices.

In the late 1700's China reached her largest territorial expansion through colonial
wars in the East beyond Sinkiang, in Burma (1767-9) and in Tibet (1791-2).